Our Mission

The Preservation of French Classical Equitation

Equitation as an art form, as a means of expressing the beauty of the connection between one individual rider and one individual horse, has a long and rich history. Many trainers across time have written and spoken eloquently of this deep and peaceful conversation. Great classical training offers us wonderful riding horses. Horses trained in this way remain for decades a delightful partner and a deepening joy to ride.

The old connected voices are fading behind the noisy clamor of competition and the push to market new trends and make money from new concepts. Ancient, quieter, deeply investigated ways of interacting with the horse are at risk of disappearing entirely. This old form of equitation is well worth preserving. Along with the horse connection, this older way of working supports the human mind and heart in balance.

The Foundation was formed to preserve those old voices. The founders were Craig P. Stevens and Mary Anne Campbell, with the support of long time students and friends. Craig passed away in March of 2024, but he spent his lifetime researching and exploring this beautiful art form and his work has inspired riders, trainers and teachers all over the world. Mary Anne continues to teach and to support the lineage through writing, lessons and through the work of this Foundation.

And supporting their students and their student’s students into the future is our mission.

The Foundation for the Equestrian Arts is a living legacy. We provide training, credentialing, and ongoing support for contemporary trainers and their students working in the classical lineage.

We invite you to make a donation and join us in supporting this mission.

We welcome you to join our students from across the world in learning this beautiful way of working, taking your part in preserving this ancient form of communication between horse and rider.

Contact us to find an FEA credentialed instructor that you can work with in person or online.